New York--Fine jewelry has recently taken a minimalist turn, with many designers opting for bold, clean looks over intricate, highly wrought styles.

Bezel settings perfectly achieve an impactful but minimal feel, showcasing diamonds and gemstones the way a frame holds a painting. The setting is being employed across all fashion jewelry categories and even in engagement rings as the halo setting begins to wane in popularity.

“Even my wedding ring, which is a simple bezel-set radiant-cut diamond, was based on one of the first pieces I ever made. I love the solid feel of the stones being enclosed in the metal and it feels very modern, clean and compliments my aesthetic. Recently, I have started using prong settings as well, but bezels still are and will always be my favorite way to set stones.”

While many brands are setting exquisite and rare gems in bezels, the setting can also up the wow factor for a simple or small stone. Kismet by Milka has taken to creating bezel-set tennis bracelets and even a bezel-set tennis-style choker.

"I like using a bezel setting in our collections as I think it gives a stronger feeling and texture to pieces that would otherwise be considered classics,” said Kismet by Milka designer Milka Karaağaçlı. “In our ‘Rainbow collection,’ the bezel setting made each colorway stand out more than usual when next to another color.”

Several designers mentioned that a bezel can give an old-fashioned item a sense of modernity.

Ilana Sarna of brand Ilana Ariel commented: “Some of my designs, especially from the ‘Stepping Stone’ collection, have an antique or retro vibe. By using bezel settings as opposed to prongs, I tried to make the pieces feel more modern. I love melding different design elements because it yields classic but very wearable jewelry.”

“I have always bezel set our stones because of my love of gold (and) feeling the sculptural aspects of the metal surrounding the gems and for practical reasons,” Maurer explained.

“It (also) protects the stone from damage and allows for everyday wear of the piece,” she added.

Bezel settings are less precious and more bold than other setting styles not just in appearance, but in function as well, as Maurer pointed out. They provide a stable base for a stone, shielding its edges.

The trade-off is, of-course, seeing less of a stone and more of the metal surrounding it. But this isn’t a problem for contemporary designers, who are overwhelmingly favoring yellow gold for now.

“A bezel setting allows for more gold to be seen,” said Diana Mitchell, designer of the eponymous line, “and I love 18-karat gold, so the more, the better.”